L-R Dan Daily, Michael Kidd, and Gene Kelly
From the film "It's Always Fair Weather"
The famous "trash can lid" tap number!

"Dancing appears glamorous, easy, delightful. But the path to paradise of the achievement is not easier than any other. There is fatigue so great that the body cries, even in its sleep. There are times of complete frustration, there are daily small deaths. "

WON'T YOU JOIN OUR "LINDY BY THE SEA" TABLE?!

As many of you know, I am on the board of directors of The Professional Dancers Society, an organization that watches over and helps "aging" dancers (it's be there waiting for me!). They raise their money through two special events each year and one of them is right around the corner:

THE FALL BALL.

I have reserved a table for ten right next to the dance floor. Won't you join us? There are eight seats left. If we fill it up, we can get another one! Tickets are $65 each (that includes the reception, the dinner, the swing dance, the salute to Michael Kidd (featuring celebrities and great clips), and all the old-time musical stars! (Get your camera ready!)

The Professional Dancers Society's Fall Ball is held at the historic Sportsman Lodge in Studio City. It's an elegent event just bursting with old time celebrities. Last year I actually met Fred Astaire's beautiful daughter, Ava Astaire.

Rusty Frank with Ava Astaire (Fred's daughter!) at PDS Fall Ball 2004

There is a sit down dinner, and...

A full big band (!!) play OUR kind of music for our dancing pleasure throughout the evening.

This year's honoree is the legendary dancer and choreographer Michael Kidd. If you've seen "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers," "Hello, Dolly," "Guys and Dolls," "It's Always Fair Weather," you've seen Michael Kidd! His style was dynamic and groundbreaking. He's definitely one of my favorites. Seeing the "Barn" number in "Seven Brides" never fails to take my break away.

For those of you who would like to know a little more about Michael Kidd, here's a short bio:

American director/choreographer Michael Kidd was deflected from an engineering career when he developed an interest in dance. After a few years of gypsying as a chorus hoofer, Kidd worked his way up to choreographer and presented his first ballet when he was 26. His Broadway work accrued him five Tony Awards, but Kidd's lasting fame is manifested in his film work. Among many other movies, he choreographed Where's Charley? (1952), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), Guys and Dolls (1955), Star (1968) and Hello Dolly (1969). In addition to his dance-direction chores, he acted in It's Always Fair Weather (1955), as Gene Kelly's and Dan Dailey's army buddy who becomes a blue-collar husband in civilian life - but not before joining his costars in the fabled "trash can dance." Kidd was grayed up for his role as Pop Popchick in the spoofish Movie, Movie (1978), doubling as choreographer for the climactic "Blansky's Beauties of 1933" sequence. He also was given solo director credit for Merry Andrew (1958), which starred his frequent collaborator Danny Kaye. Michael Kidd's best film role was in Smile (1975) in which he essentially played himself - an outspoken, quick-tempered dance director who was willing to take money out of his own pocket to repair a faulty stage and thus ensure the safety of his dancers. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? Something local? Here it is: A show with Rusty's Swing Shift Fliers AND dancing to Jumpin Joz! What could be better? Click HERE for all the info on the Hometown Fair.

HURRICANES FUNDRAISER UPDATE
$6,822 RAISED FOR THE AMERICAN RED CROSS

It just never stopped coming in! Money, that is. After I announced that we had raised $3,200 at our Rhythm Club fundraiser, people just kept sending in money. Checks came in from around the world...people just wanted to get that figure over $4,000... then $5,000... THEN we had someone who was able to do a matching grant with that doubled the $1700 of the pot that was cash... so our grand total is $6,822. I'm happy!

If you would like to see more information about our fundraiser, click HERE. If you would like to see photographs from the evening, click HERE.

NEW SET OF BEGINNER CLASSES BEGINS THIS SUNDY 10/2/05

We're starting a new set of classes this Sunday and they include Level 1b and Level 2b! Come along and help spread the word!

TUESDAY
FEATURED CLASS - BALBOA!

We are so proud of our Balboa class. It just could possibly be the largest on-going Balboa class anywhere. Well done! And per your special request, we are going to continue on with the them in our new series (as a matter of fact, we'll keep it going as long as you stick with it!)

Don't forget your pre-registration discount!

GOLDEN TICKET
"Now that's a deal"

If you would like to take advantage of our best offer, sign up for a Golden Ticket --$100, all the classes you want in the month series, or $90 (!!!!) pre-registered).

DANCE CLASSES! WHAT A BARGAIN!

We have a lot of wonderful options at Lindy By The Sea. Such as any second class taken on the same day is 1/2 price, and our "Golden Ticket" allows you to take ALL of our classes in a given series for only $100 or $90!! if you pre-register! (and $40 if it can go towards the "Custom Class" for those Advanced/Intermediate students). What a deal. If you took four classes in the series, it would break down to $5.62 a class -- where else are ya gonna find that kind of bargain.

USE YOUR QUICK STOP CARD TO PRE-REGISTER AND SAVE 10% ON CLASSES

(click on image to find out how it works and how you can get one!)

PRE-REGISTRATION DISCOUNT!

We have pre-registration discounts of 10% on the website. So you can register with your Quick Stop Card, or right on our site "easy peasy lemon squeezy". Go HERE. Remember, pre-register for class(es), you'll get a 10% discount off the normal prices. You can pre-register over the phone (310 606 5606), by check, or at on-line We hope that you'll enjoy taking advantage of this new offer...

SEPTEMBER 28

OCTOBER 5

OCTOBER 12

OCTOBER 19

OCTOBER 26

HALLOWEEN! COSTUMES PRIZES!

Dance Lesson and DJ on the first
Wednesday of each month from 7:30-8:00
8:00-11:30pm -- Dance! Dance! Dance!
(check our calendar)

If it's your birthday this week, just let us know at the Rhythm Club so you can get your birthday dance!

Subscribe to SwingShiftRhythmClub

HILARY ALEXANDER'S "NEW ORLEANS" TRIBUTE

If you would like to see a truly touching video piece from Hilary Alexander, click HERE.
It's only 2 1/2 minutes long, and is made up of news footage, some super8
shots she took in 1991, and some footage from a movie called "Down By Law"
from 1986.

NEW WEB PAGES ON OUR SITE

There are so many ideas I have for the website, but I couldn't figure out how to have them all on there until yesterday. I'm gonna put on a button that simply says "more pages." There you'll find some fun pages like:

Swing dancers travel the world
This page will show you wearing your Rhythm Club bowling shirt or t-shirt at some famous place around the world (the Eiffel Tower, anyone?). Here's our first example:

Jeff & Taffy in Cairo, Egypt... where are you going? Don't forget to pack that shirt!

WHAT GOT YOU STARTED SWING DANCING?

Yes, "The thing about swing dancing..." is so many things! It's fun. It's challenging. It's good exercise. It's a great way to meet a bunch of nice people. And, it's contagious! Each on of has that moment of epiphany, when we saw something that made us all just HAVE to do it!

Read our first story from Jeremy Norman... then submit yours!

What was the moment that made you just "have to do it"? Where were you? What did you see?

I would love to hear what your swing dance epiphany was! If you would like to share it in our weekly newsletter, write it in an email to me. It would really be fun to hear how each of us got involved. Send yours to: info@swingshiftontap.com

RHYTHM IS JUMPIN: This is a first-time event and it looks great! October 7th-9th, 2005, a weekend of competitions, dances, and workshops -- all located at the historic Glendale YWCA. Just another excuse to dance, dance, dance!

* Wondering
what the heck a "gate"is? This was a phrase popularized by 1940's comedian,
Jerry Colonna, who would holler it out every time he was introduced on the
Bob Hope radio program. It was a friendly salutation to a swing cat (dancer
or swing music enthusiast). Basically, we swing like a gate!

JOIN THE FUN!
BUT, WHAT THE HECK IS IT?

Many of you still don't know about our Swing Shift Rhythm Club. It's one of our best kept secrets. Now is the time to get the SSRC "above the radar."

THE SWING SHIFT RHYTHM CLUB (SSRC), founded in 2000 by Rusty Frank's swing dance students, The SSRC has two missions:

1. Having fun! (Fun)
2. Doing good deeds! (Philanthropy)

1. Having fun: Events where swing dancers can socialize and get to know each other outside of class (vintage clothes shopping, going to a dance-related movie, dancing in the park, eating at retro restaurants before a dance, etc.).

2. Doing good deeds: Events where we bring swing dancing to hospitals, senior homes, and community events for the purpose of good deeds, entertainment, and education in the Los Angeles area.

The SSRC is a volunteer club open to the public and the events are organized by its members. There are no dues. Members can attend as many or as few events as they wish.

"How do I join?"...
Right now, fill in your email address
and click the Yahoo log (that's it!):

Subscribe to SwingShiftRhythmClub

Then you will receive updates of activities (or you can organize one yourself!). Check the yahoogroup "Swing Shift Rhythm Club" calendar here for postings of upcoming events.